


Apparitions

by Identiaetslos



Series: Alex Ryder Story Arcs [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Crossover, F/F, Headcanon, Nudity, Post-Endgame, Tattooed Protagonists, dialogue exercise, family life, little blue children, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 08:10:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11665104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Identiaetslos/pseuds/Identiaetslos
Summary: Korynn Shepard comes to Alex Ryder one night and the two of them talk about their lives and the people they have become.I wrote this at work to pass the time. Originally, this was written as Korynn Shepard's death, be it in the future or on Earth, but I didn't like that and I had a sneaking suspicion Liara wouldn't allow it to happen, so I just let the two talk.





	1. Part 1

*Alex Ryder awakens and sits up. The apartment she is in is dark and it's very quiet. She is naked with the exception of a blanket over her torso. Keri is asleep on her stomach next to her and is also naked with the same blanket covering everything below the waist. She blinks seeing the figure of Korynn Shepard form before her. She is wearing an N7 t-shirt and sweat pants that are untied. She is also older with short hair that is a mixture of gray and black*  
Korynn: Pathfinder.  
Alex: Commander Shepard?  
Korynn: *Smiles and sits on the end of the bed* I'm not much of a Commander anymore, call me Korynn. Man, you've filled out since the last time I saw you. All that time in the field changes you, huh? More ink, too. *Gestures to the tattoos covering Alex's naked chest*  
Alex: *Blushes and covers herself with a blanket*  
Korynn: Relax, kid. It's not like I don't have them. *looks around at the darkened apartment* This is not my living room.  
Alex: What are you doing in Andromeda?  
Korynn: *Frowns* Andromeda? So, that's what that smell is. *laughs*  
Alex: What year is it?  
Korynn: 2195. For me at least. What about you?  
Alex: 2819. Am I dead?  
Korynn: No. Am I?  
Alex: It's 600 years in the future.  
Korynn: Speak for yourself, it's 600 years in the past for me. *Chuckles* I never know with Liara. She already brought me back from the dead twice.  
Alex: I've died twice now, too.  
Korynn: It's so annoying, isn't it? These days, she'll get up in the middle of the night just to make sure I haven't keeled over or someone hasn't shot me. Granted, I do the same thing to her. I will say that the renewed memory of cuddling up to her all over again makes it worthwhile. I love the way she smells. Sometimes, I bury my face in her neck and kiss her until we both fall asleep. I can't get enough. You ever have that feeling that you never knew you were missing a part of yourself until you met someone?  
Alex: All the time.  
Korynn: Tell her that. Don't ever stop. *Looks to Keri sleeping beside Alex* I'm guessing that's the lucky girl.  
Alex: Keri T'Vessa. She's a journalist here on The Nexus.  
Korynn: T'Vessa's daughter? Goddess, you are just like me. Falling in love with a civilian and asari royalty. You didn't find her at a Prothean dig site did you?  
Alex: *Smiles* No. She accosted me coming through the docking port for an interview. I think I was in love before she was finished with her first sentence. How did you know she's asari royalty?  
Korynn: Her mother is one of the Matriarchs helping us rebuild on Thessia. Unfortunately, her dad was lost when we were attacked. She was a pleasure to fight alongside.  
Alex: She said her parents disowned her, but I think she might like to know how everything turned out. We only recently found out about what happened. The attack on Thessia hit her pretty hard.  
Korynn: The war has humbled a lot of people. I think T'Vessa will like knowing that Keri is alive and well...and well cared for *smiles*  
Alex: You live on Thessia now?  
Korynn: Liara and I settled here after the war was over. In case you were wondering: We won, but it wasn't much of a victory. We've lost way too much, and it's a mess. Liara and I wanted to help the asari rebuild, and to finally start a family. We figured the best way to go about both would be to let them see little blue babies being born. It's sort of worked. I think the image that Al-Jilani published of me praying over the corpse of an asari Matron during a Cerberus raid on The Citadel.  
Alex: You prayed over dead asari?  
Korynn: *nods* The girl on the Citadel wasn't the first or last. I said a prayer in the Temple on Thessia during the attack. I've always been a little soft on asari. Marrying one hasn't made it easier. One lesson I never learned even as a Spectre is that you can't save them all. It's why I am up all night at times, and have a little bit of a drinking problem.  
Alex: I don't think that's not learning the lesson. It's not a bad thing to retain your humanity.  
Korynn: Anderson used to say that to me. Earlier in my career, I watched a Justicar named Samara that I served with break the neck of an Eclipse operative in front of me. A few days later, I wound up having to kill another Spectre named Vasir. I had just reunited with Liara after being dead for two years. I cried like a baby when I got back to the Normandy. All I could think of was the way that Liara felt in my arms; the sound of her heart, warmth of her skin, innocence of her breath. Life is remarkable. They might have been an unsavory personalities, but they were someone to somebody somewhere with a unique story; a miracle that was ended right before my eyes. In Vasir's case, it was by my own hand.  
Alex: It doesn't get easier does it? The flashbacks.  
Korynn: It never will, Alex. It gets so quiet on Thessia these days, sometimes I don't know how to cope.  
Alex: Every time I have to shoot anyone, be it asari, human, or even Kett, all I can see is Keri's face. I hesitated the last time, and Cora called me on it. We have a Doctor on board: T'Perro. She helps me at times, but there are some things...  
Korynn: I remember Lexi. She helped me and Liara through some...trouble. You're lucky that they sent you with someone. When I was in the field, all I had was Liara, Tali, and our never ending supply of Illium Brandy. *Chuckles*  
Alex: Keri loves Illium Brandy. It's a little sweet for me.  
Korynn: Asari are sweet. What did you expect?  
Alex: *rolls eyes* Not all are. I ran into some Cerberus people on Kadara. They mentioned a Project Lazarus.  
Korynn: *Eyes go wide* They didn't tell you about that?  
Alex: No.  
Korynn: *Opens Omni-Tool and begins typing* If this works the way I hope it will, I am going to send you everything. In short, you need to make sure that Cerberus stays in check; if you can eliminate them, all the better. Project Lazarus refers to me and the fact that I have trillions of credits worth of Cerberus hardware in me that Liara paid for. They can't be trusted no matter how much they smile at you or offer platitudes. If they are trying to continue that project out there, you need to either stop it or control it.  
Alex: What? How?  
Korynn: *Shrugs* You're the N7, Alex. I'm just here in my living room on Thessia letting my wife sleep on my lap, because this is the only way she can sleep without throwing up or getting massive headaches. Do your homework. How good is your girl at her job?  
Alex: The best. Probably the only honest journalist in either galaxy. Tann put her in prison not too long ago for speaking the truth.  
Korynn: That's a good thing. Well...not really the jail part, but poking the bear isn't always a bad thing, and you got her out, which means that either they respect you or they're afraid of you.  
Alex: Or a little of both.  
Korynn: *inclines head* Or a little of both. You may want to use her. *stops herself* I'm sorry. Don't involve her unless you know she can handle it. Never let her lose that quality...honesty. Honesty gets bloody, and I hope she knows that, but it pays off greatly in the long run.  
Alex: I'm starting to realize myself. Liara is sick?  
Korynn: She is pregnant. Number 5. Asari sometimes throw up if they conceive with humans, apparently. They also get our mood swings, which is even worse for Liara. You remember Liara's temper?  
Alex: She was a slow boil if I recall.  
Korynn: Hardly. She's part Krogan.  
Alex: Really?  
Korynn: That was a surprise for me too. If I had been asari, she would just have the headaches.  
Alex: Are you two trying to repopulate Thessia on your own?  
Korynn: *Laughs* Yep. Have to make up for lost time, too.  
Alex: I would be exhausted after one.  
Korynn: I thought I would be, too. Especially since they are the little blue spawn of me and Liara. I regret nothing. Life is a beautiful thing, I have endless amounts of time, and I am fortunate that Liara and our nurse are both skilled in biotics. I hope Keri has a good grounding with hers by the time you two are ready to have kids. If you think human toddlers are bad, you have no idea what asari toddlers can do.  
Alex: *laughs* I'm not too bad with my own biotics.  
Korynn: That will help, but you will still need someone asari that knows what she is doing. It's a little different with them.  
Alex: Does Liara rule Thessia?  
Korynn: *bobs head from side to side* I don't know if I would go that far. She's still too young for the Matriarchs to accept her, but she was lucky enough that all of her Shadow Broker equipment on the Normandy remained operational, so she is pretty much the only one in Council Space with a functioning information network and any sort of diplomatic skills.  
Alex: Liara became The Shadow Broker?  
Korynn: Goddess in Heaven...they didn't tell you that either?  
Alex: The Shadow Broker helped dad with a lot of funding and setting up business contacts...  
Korynn: *Just shrugs*  
Alex: Liara paid for this too?  
Korynn: Well...both of us had a helping hand. We weren't alone, though. Ooh. Liara is starting to wake up. I should go. It was good talking to you.  
Alex: *Sad* It was good to talk to you too, Korynn.  
Korynn: I doubt this will be the last time we talk. *places hand on Alex's* Don't lose faith. I've known since the day I met you, kiddo, you would do well making something like this happen. Say hi to Keri for me, and remember to tell her that you love her. Tell her every day.  
Alex: I will. Goodbye Korynn.  
Korynn: *leans in and kisses Alex on the cheek before disappearing*

Alex: *Opens her eyes and sits up. Light streaming through blinds of Keri's apartment bathes the kitchen appliances and the ceiling in warm, orange light. Looks to the end of the bed to see just rumpled blankets. No evidence of Korynn. Tears begin to form in her eyes. Places her head in her hands and threads her fingers through her untied hair*  
Keri: *stirs and looks up to see Alex's tattooed back sitting up, head in her hands. She reaches up and touches her gently* Alex? *Frowns and sits up* Are you okay?  
Alex: *pushes her hair behind her brow and turns to Keri*  
Keri: Hey...*reaches out to brush a tear from her eyes* Bad dream?  
Alex: *Shakes head* No. *leans in and kisses Keri on the lips* I love you.  
Keri: *Kisses Alex in return* I love you. That doesn't make me feel better. Tell me if you don't mind me prying a bit.  
Alex: I saw her a moment ago.  
Keri: Who?  
Alex: Korynn Shepard. She came in while you were sleeping and sat there *points to the end of the bed* and talked to me.  
Keri: Korynn Shepard has been dead for at least 500 years, babe. Are you sure it wasn't a dream?  
Alex: It felt like more than that. Although it could have been. *Types on her naked arm and brings up Omni-Tool* SAM, can you scan for any evidence of human or asari life signs at the end of the bed?  
SAM: Good morning, Alex. I am sorry, but the only human or asari lifesigns I am reading at the end of the bed are of the feet belonging to you and Ms. T'Vessa.  
Alex: Ha ha.  
SAM: Pathfinder. There is something curious, however. It seems that while you were both sleeping, I received an enormously large data file from an unknown origin. This data file also uses a combination of algorithms consistent with ones used by the Alliance, and Prothean encryption sequences contained in some of Dr. T'Soni's writings. I believe I can decipher them.  
Alex: Do it.*Omni-Tool brings up a classified Cerberus file labeled Project Lazarus first* Holy shit.... *scrolls through other data files and notes one on The Shadow Broker, Classified Data Files on The Reapers, personalized videos of Normandy SR-1 and SR-2 crew, and archaelogical papers from Dr. T'Soni dated post 2185. In the last file is a collection of pictures of Tempest crew members and family members of Tempest crew members. The second-to-last image is one of Keri standing with her parents, and last image is a picture of Keri talking to Liara with the caption: Thanks for the help.*  
Alex: *looks at Keri*  
Keri: *wipes away tears* Liara caught wind that Al-Jilani was planning on airing security vid footage of the two of them...um...getting close in a lift on The Citadel. I was one of Al-Jilani's videographers at the time. As you might expect, she treated me like shit. Naturally, I agreed to switch the video. Instead of the debauchery that she expected, the entire Citadel watched a Krogan strip-tease video. Pretty sure I destroyed her career. Now, I am not so proud of that. *reaches out to Alex's arm and scrolls to the picture of her with her parents*  
Alex: *puts a hand on Keri's shoulder*  
Keri: How did...?  
Alex: I don't know.  
*Alex and Keri look at each other for a moment*  
Keri: I suppose I could. Close your eyes.  
Alex: *Closes her eyes*  
Keri: *Takes Alex's shoulders in her hands. Closes her eyes and opens her mind to her. Images come flooding at her of Earth, family, parents, Ian, Tempest crew, Eos, Kadara, and then of Shepard sitting on the end of the bed and talking. Keri is able to hear most of the conversation and then it is dashed away by an image of a Remnant machine, images of a Vault, and then confused thoughts infused into Alex's mind by the Remnant* *Breaks the meld*  
Alex: *Looks disconcerted*  
Keri: *Looks disconcerted too. Removes her hands from Alex's shoulders and clasps them in her lap* She was here...I still don't know how, and...I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't mean to see more than I should have...I'm afraid I am not as strong mentally as other asari.  
Alex: You've seen everything I've wanted you to see.  
Keri: I don't understand it.  
Alex: Neither do I.  
Keri: I want to.  
Alex: So do I.  
Keri: Perhaps I can help you. I don't know how. Perhaps through my work, or...or, something...  
Alex: *Takes Keri's hands and plays with them* I would love that, but don't involve yourself if you aren't sure you can handle it. This only gets more complicated.  
Keri: *Daring expression. Laces her fingers between Alex's* I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much, Pathfinder.

[con't...]


	2. Part 2

*Korynn Shepard awakens. She is in the estate that she and Liara own on Serrice and her bed. It's early morning, before daybreak and the lights are all turned off except for the soothing amber of the hall light kept on for the nurse and the kids. She is on her bed, under the blankets. The room It is a mixture of modern and ornate with high ceilings, dark tapestries, and Prothean-inspired artwork along the walls that would normally be visible if it wasn't dark. She is lying on her back with Liara next to her*

Liara: *From beside her* Where were you a minute ago?  
Korynn: *blinks several times, disoriented. Sits up slowly* Andromeda. I was talking to Alex Ryder. This is not the living room.  
Liara: *Sits up with her* No...you went to bed an four hours ago. I came in a little after. Your heart rate dropped.  
Korynn: Did it stop?  
Liara: No, but I've never seen you sleep that hard. You said you were on Andromeda talking to Alec Ryder?  
Korynn: *puts her hand on her head* Alex. His daughter. She was the new Pathfinder.  
Liara: *frowns* What happened to Alec?  
Korynn: I don't know. Dead I think, but I didn't ask. I was 600 years in the future, in an apartment that belonged to her girlfriend, Keri T'Vessa of all people.  
Liara: *Brows raise* Renara's daughter? I knew she went with them. Go on.  
Korynn: We just talked. Mostly about the two of us, the war, the issues we both have killing other asari, Cerberus. She said that they're out there.  
Liara: That sounds like quite a dream.  
Korynn: I don't know if it was. It felt like more than that. I remember...I sent her some information about what happened here, Cerberus files on me, things that you'd written. *Pulls up Omni-Tool and types. Frowns deeply*  
Liara: What is it? *Moves closer and sees there is a new message on Korynn's Omni-Tool* That's an Alliance algorithm. An older one.  
Korynn: One that was experimental when Hyperion launched. *Types to de-code the message*  
Liara: *Reads* "I should go." Curious. Maybe it's something that it recorded and sent back to you? You said that to Garria before you put her down.  
Korynn: *shakes head* There's no point of origin. Why would I send something like this to myself using old Alliance codes?  
Liara: Look at the file size. There's more here.  
Korynn: *Types more. Omni-Tool flashes into a series of alien symbols and then pulls up a file*  
Liara: *frowns and looks to Korynn*  
Korynn: *Scrolls through file*  
Liara These are news articles...with Keri's name on them, random images of planets I don't recognize. *Comes to the last image. It's a black message with no text*  
Korynn: *Looks to Liara and gets out of bed. She is wearing an orange Blasto shirt and sweatpants. She walks to desk at the far end of the room. Wakes computer up and begins typing on it. Alliance Naval emblem displays* I am worried, now.  
Liara: *Gets out of bed too. Liara is pregnant and showing. She is wearing one of Korynn's oversized N7 shirts, maternity pants. Grabs her robe from the bedpost and puts it on* You had a vision. Was it like the ones you had on Eden Prime?  
Korynn: No...*sits back in chair* It was more like the one I had on Earth. *looks to her again* After I destroyed the Catalyst.  
Liara: You mean after you died. The second time.  
Korynn: *nods*  
Liara: *Taps Korynn's computer to turn it off*  
Korynn: What are you doing?  
Liara: *sits on the edge of the desk* Korynn, we need to think this through before our next move. Also...I think there is more to this than just a simple dream. You told me that the Reapers offered you a choice to either die or to become one of them.  
Korynn: Do you want the chair, babe?  
Liara: *shakes her head* This feels good on my back.  
Korynn: I wouldn't become just one of them. I would live on in all of these machines as some kind of God.  
Liara: *Raises brow* I wonder if this is somehow connected. A gift maybe?  
Korynn: They killed a good chunk of our people. How is this a gift? What if I just endangered our people in Andromeda?  
Liara: Did it seem threatening?  
Korynn: No. It was more like...it was peaceful. You know as well as I that sometimes the Devil can seem like the nicest fella. I think I died again, Liara.  
Liara: *Blinks away a flood of tears and scoots closer. Runs her hand through Korynn's hair* You seem very much alive to me.  
Korynn: *Smiles* I am now.  
Liara: *blushes* What else do you remember?  
Korynn: She's cute. Looks a lot like her mom, but with tattoos. Jack would be impressed. She's put on a lot of muscle, and she is a lot more tempered than I remember her. I see a lot of myself in her eyes.  
Liara: It sounds like she is taking responsibility well. *rests hand gently on shoulder* What about Keri?  
Korynn: She was in bed with her, but I didn't see much. She didn't wake up when we started talking. The way Alex talked, they were very much in love. Alex said she is a reporter.  
Liara: She was here too. Well, more of a photo journalist, but she did like the story that went with the picture. It's one of the things that got her into trouble with T'Vessa. Keri was the one that helped me hack Al-Jilani.  
Korynn: The Krogan video. That was her?  
Liara: *nods*  
Korynn: *Just grins* That was a masterpiece.  
Liara: *Laughs* I think we traumatized...everyone.  
Korynn:*Laughs* Tali sprayed down the elevator before she left.  
Liara: *Rolls eyes* Of course she did. Anyway, Keri and I grew up in the same circles, and we both went to Serrice together. She was a lot more outwardly rebellious than I was. I am not surprised she would wind up with someone like Alex, but I am glad to hear that they are both happy.  
Korynn: I thought it was ironic: Both of us soldiers with sea stories to tell, and we both wind up falling in love with asari royalty.  
Liara: *rolls her eyes* Any kids?  
Korynn: None, but I saw that look in her eye. When they have a quiet moment to settle down, we might have a rival in Andromeda.  
Liara: *Brows raise* That's a thought.  
Korynn: *Takes Liara's hand and kisses it*  
Liara: I am curious about the strange images we saw before the documents appeared.  
Korynn: Me too.  
Liara: I'd like to analyze them. I will need your help, and...*Grips the edge of the desk*  
Korynn: Liara?  
Liara: *holds up a hand and runs to the bathroom*  
Korynn: *Gets out of the chair and follows*  
Liara: *Throws up into the toilet* Fuck...  
Korynn: *Helps Liara off the tile*  
Liara: *Goes to the sink to wash out her mouth* Thank you, my love. Can I say something?  
Korynn: Sure.  
Liara: No more for a while. *straightens her posture. Her face is pale* I love you and our children more than I can express, but...*sighs and gestures at her belly* If our RNA was compatible, I'd say let you try carrying one or two or five.  
Korynn: You know if we were, I would gladly.  
Liara: *Laughs sarcastically* You say that now.  
Korynn: *Moves closer to Liara and slips her arms around her waist. Kisses her lips softly* Yeah, I do, and I'd never retract that statement.  
Liara: *Holds Korynn around the waist and makes a face* I don't understand how you can kiss me now.  
Korynn: One lesson that marriage has taught me is that with another person, comes an array of bodily fluids.  
Liara: You're insane. *Kisses her nose* As I was saying, I'd also like to study the information we just received. I am concerned with you about its true nature. If it is something benign, it could also provide us a window into the lives of the people we sent there. Maybe we could even talk to them through Alex or Keri.  
*Baby starts crying in another room*  
Korynn: *Kisses Liara on the cheek and detaches herself from her. She goes farther into the house to a side room and picks up Ariana. Makes a face at the awful smell and coos at her daughter while going to the changing table*  
*Ariana continues crying*  
Liara: *Follows into the room*  
Korynn: *Sings to Ariana in asari and makes a face*  
*Ariana cries harder*  
Liara: *Makes a silly face and sings with Korynn in asari*  
Ariana: *Giggles at Liara*  
Liara: *To Korynn* Even if you don't have another vision, I think we need to start trying to get in contact with our people in Andromeda.  
Korynn: How?  
Liara: I don't know.  
Korynn: That, too, but how do you always calm her down?  
Liara: She just likes me better. *Sticks her tongue out at Korynn*  
Korynn: *Sticks her tongue out at Liara in return and finishes changing Ariana while the baby sputters. Makes faces and tickles Ariana. Ariana giggles merrily*  
Liara: *Watches Korynn with the baby. Gives Korynn a tender kiss on the side of her head* I love you.  
Korynn: *Smiles and lifts Ariana into her arms* *To Liara* I love you. More every day. How did I get so lucky?  
Liara: Well...one day, this crazy woman, Tali, and Ashley rescued me from a Prothean energy field that I had trapped myself in. After getting shot at repeatedly and subjected to visions of death and destruction, I fell madly in love with this crazy woman and agreed to get swept away on her Alliance cruiser and into the apocalypse. Now, here we are.  
Korynn: Seems like yesterday.  
Liara: *kisses Korynn softly on the lips* Aside from the apocalypse, I wouldn't trade it for anything.  
Korynn: *Smiles* Me either.  
Liara: *Kisses Ariana* And I love you!  
*Ariana giggles and squeals*  
Liara: I think she is thoroughly awake.  
Korynn: Yeah, I think so. *Blows raspberries in Ariana's stomach and lifts her into the air. Baby giggles*  
Liara: *Smiles* Be careful.  
Korynn: She's safe.  
Liara: It's not her I am worried about. *Walks over to the window and looks out at Serrice below* I don't know how we're going to get in contact with them. There's still a lot of work to do down there.  
Korynn: *Blows another raspberry and giggles as the baby giggles* Yeah. We've cannibalized most of Normandy at this point.  
Liara: *Sighs* Maybe I can try to get in contact with Tali.  
Korynn: *Raises brows and lifts Ariana in the air* That's a thought.  
*Ariana laughs and squeals*  
Liara: *Turns around to see Ariana throw up on Korynn's face*  
Korynn: Goddess on High! *spits*  
Liara: *Laughs hard and takes Ariana from Korynn* You deserved that.


End file.
